PSG set to drop Kylian Mbappe from squad for Ligue 1 opener against Lorient: Reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are reportedly set to leave Kylian Mbappe out of the squad for their Ligue 1 opener against Lorient on 12 August.
The French superstar has made it clear that he won't extend his contract at the club beyond June 2024. This has led PSG to transfer-list the player this summer in order to avoid losing him for nothing next year.
It is clear that Mbappe is at odds with PSG's decision-makers. He has been training away from the senior team and with the 'loft squad' — a group of players whose futures are expected to lie away from the club.
RMC Sport (h/t @TheMadridZone on Twitter) now claim that PSG no longer view the 24-year-old as a part of the club's plans. He will, as a result, be left out of the team's squad to face Lorient at the Parc des Princes.
Real Madrid have emerged as the most serious suitor for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner. They are actively in the market to find Karim Benzema's replacement and could make a move for the PSG forward this summer itself.
Les Parisiens, meanwhile, have seemingly planned for life without Lionel Messi and Mbappe. They have signed Marco Asensio on a free transfer and are close to bringing in Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani in attack.
Liverpool linked with surprises loan move for PSG's Kylian Mbappe - reports
PSG reportedly fear that Kylian Mbappe has already engineered an agreement with Real Madrid over a transfer.
If Los Blancos wait for another five months, they can seal a pre-contract agreement with the Frenchman in January and sign him on a free transfer next summer. Amidst this, Liverpool have emerged as a potential destination for him.
According to the Daily Star (h/t Four Four Two), Mbappe's representatives have held discreet talks with Premier League clubs, including Liverpool. He has apparently told his mother, who is a Reds fan, that he wants to join the Reds,
Hence, a loan move to Anfield involving a sizable transfer fee could be seen as an option for PSG to avoid losing the €200 million-rated star for nothing next year. If he stays at the Parc des Princes, then he could be placed on the fringes of the squad.
Jurgen Klopp has Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota as his options in attack. But a player of Mbappe's quality should have no trouble being a regular starter at any club he joins.